Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Ramah Reservoir

This Buff-breasted Sandpiper was reported yesterday at Ramah Reservoir. I went out this morning and got some photos. This is a very rare sandpiper in Colorado and a lifer for me.

Yard Surprise

I got up this morning and found this deer with her fawn in my yard. I get a lot of deer in my yard but I have never had a fawn. This was shot through the sliding glass door. It came out better than I thought after a small Photoshop adjustment. Please ignore the weeds.

Spring Review Part 3

On May 18th a Tricolored Heron was reported at Holcim Wetlands in Fremont county. I had never heard of Holcim Wetlands so I was excited to find the heron in a new location. Once I was there it took about 40 minutes before I saw the bird fly into open water and I was able to get some photos with rather poor lighting conditions.



I returned on May 19th and Tricolored Heron was still there. I also found this Curve-billed Thrasher and finally got a quick shot of the local Common Yellowthroat.

Holcom Wetlands is a shallow gravel pit cattail marsh. At this location you have access to the marsh, a river and a canal between the marsh and the river. In two short visits I located 21 species of birds, two species of lizards and one huge toad. Im my opinion this is now one of the premier spots in Fremont County.

Spring Review Part 2

Just about a month after the Yellow-crowned Night-heron another rare visitor, a Common Black-hawk, arrived to the same park. Common Black-hawks are typically found in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. They rarely go as far north as Colorado.

Common Black-hawk - Fountain Creek Regional Park - 5/17/2010

Common Black-hawk - Fountain Creek Regional Park - 5/17/2010

Around this time Warblers and Tanagers were also moving through the area.

Western Tanager - Sondermann Park -5/20/2010

American Redstart - Fountain Creek Regional Park - 5-17-2010

Spring Review Part 1

The first notable bird to show up in the area where I live (El Paso County, Colorado) was a Yellow-crowned Night-heron. It was found in mid April at Fountain Creek Regional Park. Yellow-crowned Night-herons are rare visitors to Colorado and this was the first one I had seen outside of Texas.

Yellow-crowned Night-heron - Fountain Creek Regional Park - 4-18-2010

New Mexico

On my way back from Arizona I made a couple stops in New Mexico. The first stop was at Bosque Del Apache NWR. This was my my first summer visit here and it was very dead. I didn't take any pictures but I did get a glimpse of some Gambel's Quail, Ring-necked Pheasant, Black Phoebe and Wilson's Warbler. On the road leading out of the refuge I spotted a rattlesnake crossing the road. I pulled over and walked back along the road until I heard the snake rattling in the weeds.

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Of course I couldn't drive through New Mexico without heading over to Conchas Lake to see the Blue-footed Booby. I believe this is the first Blue-footed Booby in New Mexico. When I got to the lake I stopped to pay the entrance fee and a couple stopped and asked if I was there to see "The Bird". They said that they had been looking for two hours with no luck and then they drove out of the area. I got my camera and started walking toward to shore not really expecting to see "The Bird" but within a few minutes it appeared and spent about 5 minutes flying back and forth in front of me.

Blue-footed Booby

Southern Arizona Trip

I recently returned from my 2nd SE Arizona trip. It was my first trip to Arizona in the summer. It was beautiful, hot, and slow.


On the first day I headed out to Sonoita Creek Preserve in Patagonia to find that it was closed on that day. I spent some time walking along Blue Haven Road looking for the Sinaloa Wren. I got a few poor photos of young Phainopeplas, a Summer Tanager, and this post-bath Rufous-crowned Sparrow.

The next day I returned to the preserve because I knew that it was open.

I quickly found this Gray Hawk. He looked angry. Maybe it's the eyes.

And this small and noisy group of Thick-billed Kingbirds.

At Madera Canyon it was hot and dead quiet.

A Yarrow's Spiny Lizard possed for his photograph.

Ladder-backed woodpeckers were a common sight. I didn't see any on my first Arizona Trip.

Some Summer Insects

In addition to my camera, telephoto lens and tripod I also like to carry my Canon 100mm Macro lens with me in the summer in case I find any interesting insects.

Tailed Copper - Waldo Canyon - 7-12-2009

The Mueller butterfly and moth were in the same area by School Pond. I would like to have stayed longer to see what else was around but the strong smell of black bear made me want keep moving.

Hoary Comma - Mueller State Park - 8-2-2009

Ctenucha Venosa? Moth - Mueller State Park - 8-2-2009

Ctenucha Venosa? Moth - Mueller State Park - 8-2-2009

Aphrodite Fritillary - Ute Valley Park - 7-5-2009

This small flowering plant had 8-10 of these wasps on it. They look wicked but are not at all aggressive so I was taking pictures with my macro lens a few inches away. When I got home I did some research and found out that they probably have the most painful sting in North America. As adults they eat flowers and pollen. They kill tarantulas to provide a food source for their larval young.

Tarantula Hawk - Brush Hollow Reservoir - 7-18-2009

Robber Fly with prey - DeWeese Reservoir - 7-18-2009

Robber Fly with prey - DeWeese Reservoir - 7-18-2009

With their intensely white tail, this species of dragonfly is difficult to photograph in full sunlight. This particular dragonfly waited patiently while I took several photos, checking the over-exposure alert and using exposure compensation to adjust the exposure so that the tail wouldn't be over exposed.

White Tail Dragonfly male - Bonny Reservoir State Park - 8-8-2009 - Canon 400mm

White Tail Dragonfly female - Bonny Reservoir State Park - 8/8/2009 - Canon 400mm

Williamson's Sapsuckers

Earlier this month I photographed this pair of Williamson's Sapsuckers at Genessee Mountain Park west of Denver. The nest is in an area that gets a lot of foot traffic and the birds appear to have little fear of people. It is amazing how hard this pair was working to keep their chicks fed.

Williamson's Sapsucker male

Williamson's Sapsucker female

Ramah SWA

Saturday I drove out to Ramah State Wildlife Area to see if there was any water in Ramah Reservoir. With the unusual amount of rain that we have had here this summer I thought the reservoir might have recovered. It was still completely dry. It's strange that last year it was full and this year it is dry.

Not having any water really limits the wildlife so it was really quiet. I did find some Western Kingbirds feeding their young.

Western Kingbird feeding young

Western Kingbird (immature)

This Northern Mockingbird acted like it was part of the Western Kingbird family.

Northern Mockingbird

Reddish Egret at DeWeese Reservoir

Reddish Egret

It has been a great summer for rare birds visiting Colorado. Right on the heels of the Black Vulture comes a Reddish Egret to DeWeese Reservoir. This bird, first reported by Rich Miller on July 17th, will likly be the 9th or 10th reported in Colorado.

Black Vulture

Black Vultures rarely visit Colorado. For several days one has been staying at Castlewood Canyon State Park. The Turkey Vultures seem to love this place so it seems fitting that the Black Vulture would end up here.

Black Vulture

While waiting for the Black Vulture to make an appearance a few other attractive birds stopped by the parking area to get there photographs taken.

Young Bluebird

Lazuli Bunting

Lazuli Bunting

San Luis Hills

San Luis Hills

Last weekend I was in the San Luis Valley visiting my parents. We went over to the San Luis Hills to look for Black-throated and Sage Sparrows. We didn't have much luck with the sparrows but it was a good trip anyway. It is amazing how such a dry desert like environment can be so full of life.

The Green-tailed Towhee always seems to keep a stick between it and a photographer. Maybe someday I will get an unobstructed view.

Green-tailed Towhee

This place was crawling with insects. A little rain does wonders.

Three-banded Grasshopper

We also took a loop through the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge. It was fairly quiet but it was fun watching the baby American Avocet chicks.

American Avocet chick

Lake Pueblo

Summer has arrived in Colorado and there are now few email alerts for rare and unusual birds to lure me off to the far corners of the state. So I head down to Lake Pueblo, not too far away and always has something to offer. About 30 feet from the parking lot I see a female Blue Grosbeak about 15 feet in front of me right out in the open. It's the best Blue Grosebeak photo op I have ever had. The only problem is that the camera is in the backpack, I chose comfort over being prepared. I slowly take off the backback and lower to the ground and the bird is still there. I unzip the bag and pick up the camera and the bird is still there. I mount the camera on the tripod with one eye on the bird. I slowly remove the lens cap, the bird appears to be waiting patiently as if it wants to have its picture taken. I slowly aim the camera and look through the viewfinder... the bird is gone. Oh well, it was only a female. I have seen Blue Grosbeaks twice in Colorado and they were both at this location.

Loggerhead Shrike

A short distance later I come upon a Loggerhead Shrike. This bird allows me to get really close without even trying.

On my way back to the car I see movement at my feet and notice a Lark Sparrow running away from me. It acts like both of its wings are broken. Once it gets about 30 feet away it flys up onto a Yucca and then acts completly normal. Is this behavior like the injured killdeer act? Was it trying to lure me away from its nest? Do Lark Sparrows nest on the ground?

It appeared to be a great day for Lizards but I only found this one.

Triploid Checkered Whiptail

Bee Assassin Bug

Colorado National Monument - Lizards etc.

Colorado National Monument is also a good place to find lizards. I found 3 species without a lot of effort.

Side-blotched Lizard

Western Whiptail

Plateau-striped Whiptail

Rock Squirrel

Prickley-pear Cactus